Enforced disappearances: IHC summons Caretaker PM in next hearing

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) summoned the Prime Minister in the next hearing of the missing Baloch students’ case, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The high court ordered to produce 55 missing Baloch students in court, or the prime minister should appear in person on November 29.

The defence and interior ministers and secretaries should also appear in the court, the bench further ordered.

Earlier, the high court expressed displeasure over the ministerial committee’s report on enforced disappearances and summoned Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Duggal in the court hearing.

“We will also summon the human rights minister,” the bench said. “The court is doing, what was the responsibility of the executive,” the court observed.

“If we send this issue to the United Nations and get our country humiliated,” the bench asked.

AAG Munawar Iqbal Duggal pleaded the high court bench not to summon the prime minister and other ministers.

“There is nothing in it,” Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani said. “What will be a joke and insult of the people of this country when they are being subjected to forced disappearances,” the bench remarked.

The representative of the defence ministry appeared before the court on the call. “Tell the interior minister to appear in court and his appearance will make no difference,” the bench said.

AAG pleaded again to the court, not to summon the ministers.

“It is not a rocket science to summon these people. We are talking for the rights of Balochistan while sitting in Islamabad,” Justice Kayani remarked.

“Giving you seven days’ time for implementation,” the court said.

Earlier, Assistant Attorney General Usman Ghumman submitted the report of the ministerial committee’s session in the court.

The one-page report of the six points agenda of the session was produced to the bench.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani expressed disappointment over the report and returned back it.

“The report is shame for the court,” Justice Kayani remarked. “The Prime Minister and the Interior Minister are both from Balochistan, they should realize that it is the matter of Baloch students,” Justice Kayani observed.

The Islamabad High Court had summoned report from the federal government’s committee within a week.

A federal cabinet committee headed by the Interior Minister has been constituted to review the cases of enforced disappearances in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

The committee comprises of three members was notified and the law ministry officials had produced the notification to the high court.

The committee also included the law and defence ministers.

“The ministerial committee will review the cases of enforced disappearances”, the notification read. The cabinet committee could get assistance from human rights organizations in the matter, the government has notified.